Holy Family Catholic School & Sixth Form
PARENT AND STUDENT INFORMATION BOOKLET 2018-19
ASPIRE TO THE HOLY FAMILY WAY
Contents 2.
Welcome
11.
Homework
3.
Who’s Who
12.
Assessments
4.
Day 1
13.
5.
What is the pattern of the school day?
Activities & Clubs Valuables
14.
Lost Property What will be expected of me?
15.
Uniform Behaviour Rewards
16.
Curriculum
17.
Parent / Carer Support Parents and E-Safety
18.
ASPIRE to The Holy Family Way
6.
1.
What do I need to know in my first few weeks of secondary school?
7.
Getting Around
8.
School Office Bullying
9.
Lessons
10.
Presentation of Work
Welcome to Holy Family Catholic School Welcome to Holy Family Catholic School, we hope you will be very happy throughout your time here and hope that you will take advantage of the many opportunities that you will have within our active and vibrant learning community. There is a great deal to enjoy and learn at Holy Family and all of what we strive to do is embedded within our Catholic ethos of respect, service and justice. You must always remember that this is a learning community and you will be expected to work hard and maximise your potential. You will be expected to do all of your classwork and homework to the best of your ability, and meet the deadlines set by your teachers. We ask that you join some of the clubs and activities that will be on offer to you during lunch time and after school, as well as additional learning opportunities in a range of subjects. Joining in with new activities is a good way of making new friends. Remember to ASPIRE to be the best that you can be. The most important rule is that you should, at all times, show courtesy, good manners and respect for all members of the school and local community. Politeness and courtesy cost nothing - remember every time you are wearing your uniform you are an ambassador for our school. You should wear your uniform with pride and therefore behave in the way that is expected. The points here are all part of the ‘Holy Family Way’, which outlines our expectations as a school. There is a way that we expect students to behave, prepare, respect and learn in order for them to be able to tackle the big wide world as aspirational, courteous and educated young people.
Aspire Achieve Study Participate Independence Respect Enjoy 2.
Who’s Who? The Senior Leadership Team Dr Stone Mr Murphy Mrs Klitou Mr Delf Mrs Feltham Mrs Gaynor Mr Fidegnon-Edoh Ms Cowburn
Headteacher Deputy Headteacher Vice Principal Assistant Headteacher Assistant Headteacher Assistant Headteacher Assistant Headteacher Assistant Headteacher
Mr Kramer Ms Gaynor Mr Shannon Mrs Woolnough Mrs Wilbraham
Assistant Headteacher Transition Coordinator
School Business Manager Associate Headteacher Associate Headteacher Associate Headteacher Associate Headteacher
Transition Mrs Feltham Mrs Murray
Curriculum Leaders Art Computing Drama English Geography History Maths MFL Music PE Product Design RE Science
3.
Mr Singh Ms Kaur Ms Hampshire Mrs Woolnough Ms Lippa Mr Shah Mr McCollin Mrs Heath Mrs Corlett Mrs Cole Ms Litchfield Mr Norman Mr Mungovan
p.singh@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk a.kaur@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk s.hampshire@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk v.woolnough@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk a.lippa@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk e.shah@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk o.mccollin@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk j.heath@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk h.corlett@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk e.cole@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk h.litchfield@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk p.norman@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk m.mungovan@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk
Day 1 How do I get to school? Walk/bus - most students either walk or get the bus. Students should be dressed in full school uniform to and from school, and will be expected to show high standards of behaviour in the local community. Once students leave school at the end of the school day or after extra curricular activities, they should go straight home and not congregate around the school or in Walthamstow Central. Car - Parents should not drive into the school car park to drop off their child. Likewise, please observe the yellow zigzag restrictions outside the school. Please find a safe area away from the main school entrance to drop off your child. Cycle - If you are cycling to school you must always wear a safety helmet and your bicycle must be roadworthy. You must make sure that your bicycle is securely locked away in the bike sheds. Cyclists are to walk with their bikes when in the school grounds.
What time should I arrive at school? You should arrive at school by 8.30 am to allow yourself time to get to registration for 8.40 am. If a student arrives after 8.40 am they will get a ‘late’ mark in the register.
Can I leave school during the day? Once you arrive in school you should not leave again until 3.10 pm. If you have a medical appointment, it would be preferable that the appointment is booked outside of school hours. If this is not possible, students must have a note in their journals from their parent. The note will need to be countersigned by a senior member of staff before the student signs out at the front office.
the start of term and give you your timetable. You will then start a range of activities based around your ‘Shoebox Project’ and ‘The Holy Family Way’.
What time do I arrive on the first day? You will be asked to come in at 8.40 am with your parents/carers. There will be a Year 7 Mass at 9 am which parents are encouraged to stay for. You will then go to your form room with your tutor.
What do I bring on the first day? • Your Shoebox Project • Your equipment: pen, pencil, ruler, rubber, calculator, green pen, reading book, dictionary • You will not need your PE kit on the first day
What do I wear on the first day of school? • You must be in full school uniform • This includes the school blazer
What will happen on the first day in September? The first day in September is for year 7 only. You will spend the day with your form tutor in your new form room. S/he will tell you about 4.
What is the pattern of the school day? 8.30 am
Arrive at school, go to form room and get organised for the day.
8.40 am
Registration. During this time you will be doing a range of activities with your form tutor. You will also have a year group assembly once a week; a site assembly on a Friday; and a House assembly once a term.
9 am
Lesson 1
10 am
Lesson 2
11 am - 11.20 am
Break time. During this time you will be able to buy snacks from the canteen. Snacks can only be eaten in the canteen. Food is NOT allowed to be eaten outside, in corridors or classrooms.
11.20 - 12.20 pm
Lesson 3
12.20 - 1.20 pm
Lesson 4
1.20 - 2.10 pm
Lunchtime. Aside from eating lunch there will be a whole range of activities and clubs you can join in with.
2.10 - 3.10 pm
Lesson 5
3.10 - 5.10 pm
During this slot there will be a whole range of activities and clubs that students can take part in. It is expected that all students participate in at least one extracurricular activity every week. Each Friday, the school day will finish slightly earlier and students will be dismissed at 2.15pm
5.
What do I need to know in my first few weeks of secondary school? What do I need to bring to school? • Blue/black pen, pencil, rubber, ruler, green pen • School journal • Colouring pencils • Reading book • Dictionary • Calculator • Exercise books/textbooks for the subjects you have on any given day • A suitable black school bag • A New Testament bible (presented to students by the Gideons International during their first few weeks at Holy Family).
What will I need for specialist lessons? • Art equipment • Food technology ingredients, including an oven proof dish when necessary and a storage container
• Geometry kit (protractor/compass) for maths • PE kit You will have your timetable written in your journal. The night before look at the lessons that you have and pack everything ready for the morning. You need to be organised; excuses for forgetting books, journal and equipment will not be tolerated and may result in a detention.
How do I keep my possessions safe? You will need to have a suitable school bag in order to keep all of your belongings. We have a limited number of lockers that may be hired with a deposit, where possessions can be locked away during the school day. All items of clothing, including your PE kit should be clearly marked with your full name and form class.
6.
Getting around How will I find my way around? For the first few weeks you will be lined up in the playground and your teachers will come and collect you to take you to your lessons; this will help you to find your way around the building. If you get lost, ask a student or member of staff and they will be able to guide you in the right direction.
What happens if I am late for lessons? In the first couple of weeks, teachers will meet you in the playground to take you to lessons, so this should not be an issue. The site isn’t very big so you should be able to find your way around easily after the first two weeks.
7.
Excuses for lateness to lessons after this period will not be tolerated. Every learning minute is valuable.
How should I move around the school building? Parts of the school are very old and therefore have narrow stairwells and corridors. There is a one-way system around the school that you are expected to respect, for your own safety and that of others. Move around the building quietly and respect the other lessons that may still be going on. It is expected that students and staff hold doors open for each other and greet each other with a smile!
School Office This is where Mrs Lazarus and Mrs Thorogood are based. You should go to the school office if you need to return any forms, if you are feeling unwell or if you need to visit the toilet during lessons. Mrs Lazarus and Mrs Thorogood are extremely friendly and helpful and will always be on hand to answer any questions.
Bullying Bullying is something that many students worry about when transferring to secondary school.
Will I be bullied at school? It is unlikely. We regard bullying and fighting as extremely serious and such behaviour will carry a serious sanction.
What can I do to avoid bullying? It is sensible to mix with students within your own age group, even if you know some of the older students or have brothers or sisters in other year groups. Students are never to get drawn into any forms of physical, mental or cyber bullying. If you are aware and don’t report it, you will still be punished for ‘bystanding’.
What should I do if I am bullied? As soon as anything happens tell your form tutor, year leader or any other member of staff. You may be asked to write a statement about it. If you see that a friend is being bullied you should also tell a member of staff. The sooner we know about it, the sooner we can tackle it. 8.
At Holy Family we have a two week timetable, Week 1 and Week 2. Students will have 24 periods of lessons each week. There are 5 lessons each day except on Fridays, when students will have 4 periods of lessons and then be dismissed after lunch at 2.15pm
How many subjects will I study? In year 7 you will study 15 subjects:
Subject
Hours over the two week timetable
Art
2
Computing
2
Drama
2
English
6
French
4
Geography
3
History
3
Maths
6
Music
2
Religious Studies
4
Science
6
Food/Textiles
2
Resistant Materials
2
Physical Education
4
You will be taught in your form group for some subjects and in mixed groups for others.
9.
What do I do at the start of the lesson? You will be asked to quietly line up outside your classroom until your teacher arrives. When you enter your classroom, you should sit where your teacher asks you to and get out all the books and equipment you need for the lesson. You should also have your journal on the table and any homework ready to give to your teacher for marking.
Who will my teachers be? Unlike primary school, you will have a different teacher for each of the subjects that you will study. Each lesson will also be in a different room therefore you must be organised and see which classroom you need to be in. This can get confusing, but after a couple of weeks it will become second nature.
Are the teachers strict? All the teachers will have high expectations of you and will expect you to work hard and behave well. If a teacher thinks that you have not reached your potential with a piece of work, they will talk to you about it and you may be asked to redo it.
Presentation of work Get into the right habits from the start! Presentation of work needs to be of the highest standard at all times. If your handwriting is messy or your book doesn’t show pride, then you will be asked to do the work again. In the world of work, this wouldn’t be accepted - it’s about getting into the right habits early on.
4. All graphs and drawings need to be drawn in pencil... it doesn’t matter which subject: maths, geography, music, art etc. If graphs are drawn in pen, you will be asked to do them again.
1. Books should be covered and your name, teacher’s name and class should be written on the front. You should NOT GRAFFITI on or in your books under any circumstances.
5. When your work has been marked, you should get your green pen and complete the tasks that the teacher has asked you to do. This may be to respond to a comment or to correct your spelling, punctuation or grammar.
2. Write the date on the right hand side of the page, the title in the centre and CW (class work) or HW (homework) on the left hand side of the page. All titles should be underlined with a ruler.
6. At the end of each piece of work rule off the work using a ruler and a pencil. Do not waste space in your exercise book.
3. Writing should be neat. Take care with handwriting, in year 11 you will need to handwrite all of your exams under time constraints. The examiner will need to be able to read your writing, practise from now!
10.
Homework Get into a good routine from the start: • All homework will be logged on Show My Homework, therefore there is no excuse for not completing homework, this includes if you are off school for any reason. • Write down instructions clearly in your journal. • Write down the ‘due date’ for when work needs to be handed in. • Check you understand what you need to do - ask your teacher to clarify anything that you don’t quite understand. • Have a quiet space at home to complete homework. • Plan to do homework in the early evening - have a break when you get in from school, but don’t leave it too late. • If you can’t do the work at home, stay in school, homework club is a good resource and there are always teachers there to help you. • Always start homework on the night that it is set. • When you have completed each homework, tick it off in your journal. • Make sure you hand it in by the due date. 11.
How much homework will I get? In year 7 you can expect to be set homework by two to three subjects each night with homework taking up to 30 minutes to complete. Alongside this students in year 7 will get an extended homework project task further details will follow.
How will parents know if homework has been set? This is a frequent question from parents. As a school we have invested in a package called Show My Homework (www.showmyhomework. co.uk). You will be able to go to our website and click on the tab called ‘Show my homework’. All staff will be logging homework and any necessary resources here, therefore you will be able to access the homework for your child.
What can I do if I find my homework difficult? You can speak to your teacher before the due date to ask for further help, you can attend homework club, you could ask a friend. At Holy Family there will always be someone to help you, however it is your responsibility to ask for help.
Assessments Curriculum and assessment changes in education mean that students will be required to ‘master and secure knowledge and skills’. We have developed our assessment by breaking down the knowledge and skills for each subject and banding them into five areas that we refer to as thresholds. In order to ensure we are in line with new GCSE requirements, we are using a new assessment model for years 7 and 8 which is based around thresholds. This means that a student will be measured against themselves and not other students of the same age/year group. The thresholds are: Excellence (expected year 11 grades 8-9), Secure (expected year 11 grades 6-7), Developing (expected year 11 grades 4-5) and Foundation and Working Towards (expected GCSE grades 1-3).
Important Points to Note about the Thresholds Students will be able to move upwards through the thresholds, but not down.
How we will Measure Progress Students will be assessed against their baseline threshold throughout the year. Assessments will be completed with results as percentages as follows: Excellence: 90% upwards Secure: 75% - 89% Developing: 59% - 74% Foundation: 26 - 59% Working Towards – 0% - 25% As the level of challenge increases, students will be expected to at least maintain their percentage scores. If they are able to do this then they will be making expected progress. One threshold above would be good progress and two above would be excellent progress.
How we will Report Progress These will be shown on your child’s report as follows: Below Expected Progress: TExpected Progress: T Good Progress: T+ Excellent Progress: T++
12.
Valuables Can I bring in valuable items to school?
Activities and clubs Why should I join an extra-curricular club or activity? It is a good way of becoming a part of your new school and making new friendships. It’s fun! There are lots of interesting clubs to join, it also looks good on your profile as later on when you apply to university or work, employers like to see that students have been involved in a range of activities that might show their commitment, leadership and creativity.
No - there is always the problem of security. Do not bring valuable items or large sums of money to school with you. If you go against this school rule and the item gets lost or stolen the school is not liable.
Can I bring in a mobile phone to school? Mobile phones are not permitted in school at all. If your child needs to call you in an emergency then they can come to the school office and the office staff will telephone you. Likewise, if a parent has an important message to communicate to their child, they can call the school office who will deliver the message on your behalf. If a student is caught with a mobile phone it will be confiscated for TWO WEEKS. A parent will need to come in and collect the phone at the end of the two week period. It is requested that parents are supportive in this matter and not challenge staff for adhering to the school rules.
What activities are available? There are a whole range of activities available. Mr Wilbraham will be publishing the extracurricular timetable on our school website on a termly basis: www.holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk/extra-curricular At Holy Family we would like all of our students to join at least one extracurricular activity throughout the year.
13.
Do I need money for school? NO - we have a cashless catering facility that means you will be able to get lunch via your thumb print, once you have registered. This is a safer way to get lunch meaning that there isn’t any reason for cash in school. If it is necessary to bring money into school on a particular day then put it in an envelope and give it in to the school office for safekeeping.
Lost Property What happens if I lose something? Nearly all items that are correctly ‘named’ will find their way back to you. However if it is not named, you can go to the school office where you will be able to have a look through the lost property box.
What will be expected of me at secondary school? - The Holy Family Way What should my attendance be?
Text message
100% - you are expected to have a minimum of 95% attendance. Avoid having any time off school as often it can be hard to catch up. You will receive rewards for good attendance. If you miss any lessons you will need to catch up on any homework - this will all be posted on ‘Show my Homework’. Parents, if you know your child will be off school because of illness then please call the school office to report the absence: 0208 520 0482. Avoid making medical/dental appointments for your child during the school day.
Parents/carers will receive a text message if your child has not been registered. Please contact the school office to inform us of the reason your child is absent.
When does registration take place? You will be registered each morning in school and every lesson. All registration takes place electronically.
What happens if I am late to school? Remember, attendance and punctuality are the first two pieces of information that will be requested on a reference at the end of year 11, and in the world of work, therefore you need to get into good habits right from the beginning. After 8.40am you will need to sign the late book at the school office - your journal will also be ‘late stamped’. A late mark will result in the same day lunchtime detention. Persistent punctuality issues will result in the year leader holding a detention and in serious cases, parents will be invited in to discuss strategies to solve the issue. 14.
What happens if I am late to lessons? There isn’t an excuse for being late to lessons. The teacher reserves the right to detain you during a lunchtime/breaktime in order to make up the lost learning time.
Uniform You will be expected to wear full school uniform and look smart at all times. This includes ties and skirts being an appropriate length. Jewellery is not to be worn aside from a small crucifix. School coats and bags must be black and not have any branded logos. False nails are a health and safety hazard and therefore not permitted. School shoes must be black - canvas shoes and trainers are not permitted. For full details of uniform expectations please see the school website. Uniform infringements will be followed up. Students will be sent home if they are in incorrect uniform.
Behaviour How do I know what the rules are? Your teachers, year leaders and senior teachers will talk to you all the time about the rules and expectations of behaviour. A copy of the school’s behaviour policy can be found on the school website: www.holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk A copy of the school rules will also be available in your child’s school journal. It is expected that students will behave well, follow the rules and be respectful to all members of the school community. Part of this includes ensuring that all litter is put in the bin. This is our school community and we have to respect it. Nearly all students will behave in the way that we expect, however there will be some students who will disregard the school rules. Students must remember that poor behaviour has consequences. 15.
Rewards and the House System Here at Holy Family, we believe in celebrating and rewarding achievement, effort, attendance, participation and community work. In the past, students have been rewarded with non-uniform days, bowling trips, cinema trips, and free lunch passes. The list is endless. Once you join the school, the form group you are in will also indicate the House that you will be a part of during your time at secondary school. The Houses are as follows: Anne, Stephen, Philomena, Ignatius, Richard and Elizabeth, the names of our saints and our school motto ASPIRE. Your aim will be to gain as many achievement stars as possible, that will all contribute to the House that you are a part of.
A detailed guide to what your children will be learning will be sent home by the end of September. This will include an overview of learning, homework, challenge tasks and recommended resources.
• English Language • English Literature • Maths • Combined or Triple science • History or Geography • French or other recognised home language. Additionally, all students will take a GCSE in RE.
As your child starts at Holy Family they will initially enter a five year journey which will take them to the end of year 11. When your child comes to us we will receive their KS2 test scores, which will help us to map your child’s pathway to GCSE study. In year 8, your child will have to make some decisions about what subject(s) they would like to study in years 10 and 11. However, what we do know is that many of our students will be studying the following combination of subjects known as the EBacc:
16.
Parent / Carer Support Here at Holy Family we pride ourselves on having a good working relationship with parents. In order to support your child through their school journey and to ensure that they finish school as a well rounded young person ready to tackle the big wide world, we ask for your support in the following ways:
• If your child is working on a laptop or digital device, make sure it is somewhere where you can see what they are doing. • Limit the amount of time playing on gaming devices.
• Check your child’s journal each evening and ensure they complete the homework.
• Don’t allow your child to go to bed with their mobile phone.
• Sign your child’s journal each week to confirm that they have completed their homework.
• Look at using parental settings so that you have control over how digital devices are being used.
• Check through their exercise books and make sure that they are following the rules of presentation of work.
• Check the ‘history’ section to ensure that what your child is doing on the net is not unsafe.
• Ensure that your child is always at school and arrives punctually.
• Cyber bullying is a growing concern in society, therefore being aware of your child’s use of digital technology is crucial.
• Attend parents’ evenings to discuss the progress of your child with the subject teachers. • Support the school with rules such as ‘no mobile phones’, and that in the event that their mobile is confiscated, please support the school’s decision. • Contact the school if you have any concerns. • Remember anything that goes on the internet is there for life.
Parents & E-safety We currently live in a technology driven era where safety online is paramount. As part of our curriculum we address the concerns of e-safety, but as parents there are many things you can do at home to protect your child:
17.
• Images posted on the web can come back to haunt students at a later stage - this is something called their ‘digital footprint’. Universities and employers are widely searching the history of individuals through the web - is everything that your child is posting on the internet something that they would be happy for others to see?
• As parents, you are ultimately responsible for your child’s behaviour outside school. If your child misbehaves and brings the school’s name into disrepute, we will expect that you manage this and support the school with decisions made. We have a great wealth of resources on our website specifically for parents on the issue of e-safety: www.holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk
Parent Pay The school operates a cashless payment system for school meals, trips and any other contributions that may be necessary. The system we use is ParentPay. Please support the school by using this system. There are a range of benefits, including monitoring what food your child is eating at lunch time and peace of mind knowing that your child is not carrying around sums of money that may get lost.
ASPIRE to the Holy Family Way ACHIEVE
INDEPENDENCE
• Never disrupt lessons. • Understand the link between school and YOUR life chances. • Be the best that you can be. • Arrive to school and lessons on time. • ASPIRE.
• Organise your school bag and equipment the night before. • Use a range of resources to help you complete the work. • Know what is going on in the world by watching the news. • Act on teachers’ feedback in your books using your green pen, without always being told to. • Research careers and what you need to do to get there. • Stay safe when using the internet.
STUDY • Follow all instructions. • Complete all work to the best of your ability. • Complete all homework and hand it in by the deadline. • Be aware of how you are doing and what you need to do to improve further. • Be prepared to draft/re-draft work to improve it further. • Read over your notes from class. • Complete extra research on the topics you are studying. • The grade 9 student always does more than what is asked of them.
PARTICIPATE • Join in class discussions. • Join in a range of extracurricular opportunities. • Take part in Sports Day. • Raise money for charity. • Be a part of our school community.
RESPECT • Be polite, considerate and helpful to all staff and fellow pupils at all times. • Respect people in the local community on your way to and from school. • Hold doors open for teachers and each other. • Be a good and effective listener. • Respect our environment by putting litter in the bin. • Smile and value those around you - everyone has the right to an education. • Demonstrate on a daily basis what it means to be a student in our catholic community. • Participate fully in Mass showing the necessary respect.
ENJOY • • • •
Make friends. Value the time you have at secondary school. Enjoy learning - it is the key to your future! Be rewarded for all the positive achievements and contributions.
18.
Holy Family Catholic School & Sixth Form ASPIRE TO THE HOLY FAMILY WAY
Wiseman House Site 30-34 Shernhall Street, London E17 9RT Tel/Fax: 020 8520 3587 / 3594 Email: office@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk Walthamstow House Site 1 Shernhall Street, London E17 3EA Tel/Fax: 020 8520 0482 / 4658 Web: www.holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk Headteacher: Dr. A. Stone BA Hons, NPQH
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